LEESBURG, Fla.—South Dakota third baseman Skylar Arellano tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run triple and scored the winning run on a base hit by Jadyn DeWitte as the Coyotes topped Central Michigan 6-5 to highlight day one at The Spring Games Friday.
 
It was the first action of the season for DeWitte, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs against the Chippewas (1-4). South Dakota scored all six runs in their final three at bats to erase deficits of 2-0, 4-1 and 5-3.
 
Center fielder Camille Fowler had three hits including an RBI triple in the fifth inning that got the Coyotes on the board. Lauren Wobken doubled twice and scored twice. South Dakota outhit Central Michigan 10-8.
 
Grace Garcia got the final two outs in the top of the seventh inning in relief of starter Sarah Lisko to earn her second collegiate victory. Lisko allowed five runs – four earned – on eight hits and struck out four while keeping USD's offense within striking distance.
 
FGCU 21, South Dakota 3
Florida Gulf Coast scored six runs in the second inning and 11 runs in the fourth en route to a 21-3, five-inning win against South Dakota in the nightcap. Reedy Davenport was 4-for-5 for the Eagles (7-8) with three RBIs. Fourteen different players recorded hits for FGCU.
 
Arellano was the lone bright spot for South Dakota (2-6). She followed up her heroics in game one with a 2-for-2 effort that included her first collegiate home run. Arellano hit a three-run bomb to left field in the bottom of the fourth. She had two of USD's three hits against Eagles starter Sarah Lawton (1-0).
 
South Dakota returns to action Saturday with a 11 a.m. (ET) game against Stetson followed by a 1:30 p.m. (ET) bout with Toledo.